1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of snorkel equipment including mask, snorkel tube and swim fins. The invention relates more specifically to a packaging method and the resulting package for a set of such snorkel equipment.
2. Prior Art
Consumers interested in purchasing snorkel gear, normally need to buy all of the basic components one wears when snorkeling. These components are a mask, a snorkel tube (with mouthpiece) and a pair of swim fins. Historically, such components have been sold separately in their individual packages. As a result, it is relatively common for consumers to purchase the mask of one manufacturer, the snorkel tube of another manufacturer, the swim fins of yet another manufacturer and the carrying bag of still a different manufacturer. Even if a consumer wishes to purchase the various components of a single manufacturer, it is common to find these in their own respective packages which, of course, adds to the cost of the products as compared to a form of common packaging of the combined components.
One of the difficulties of packaging the mask, snorkel tube and swim fins in one combined package, is that they are radically different from one another in shape and size, as well as in respective materials. Of course, it is possible to simply divide an ordinary rectangular carton into several disparately sized compartments. However, that brute force approach results in relatively large and unattractive packages which require large and expensive exterior graphics to improve the packaging aesthetics. Moreover, the large package size quickly exhausts shelf-space limitations requiring more frequent deliveries to retailers thus also adding to the cost of the displayed product.
Therefore, it would be highly advantageous to provide a package for an entire set of snorkel equipment (i.e., mask, snorkel tube and swim fins) which package is relatively space efficient, inexpensive, aesthetically pleasing and easily recognized in regard to the snorkel components contained therein and which includes a carrying bag.